Cylinder lock with key-way obstructing means



June 9, 1953 J. v. OROQUIETA CYLINDER LOCK WITH KEY-WAY OBSTRUCTING MEANS Filed June 2, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIGS) FIG. 2

FIG. I

FIGS

FIGS

FIG.4

INVENTOR:

June 9, 1953 J. V. OROQUIETA CYLINDER LOCK WITH KEY-WAY OBSTRUCTING MEANS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 2, 1949 ZIVENTOR. M

June 9, 1953 J. v. OROQUIETA 2,641,125

CYLINDER LOCK WITH KEY-WAY OBSTRUC'iING MEANS Filed June 2, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 June 9, 1953 J. v. OROQUIETA CYLINDER LOCK WITH KEY-WAY OBSTRUCTING MEANS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

Filed June 2, 1949 FIG. I2

FIG.

JNVENTOR. 7,

FIG. I4 ;@2 w;

Patented June 9, 1953 CYLINDER LOCK WITH KEY-WAY OBSTRUCTING MEANS J esfis Valiente Oroquieta, Buenos Aires, Argentina Application June 2, 1949, Serial No. 96,767 In Spain May 16, 1949 1 Claim.

Th present invention relates to a new type of cylinder lock and is specially directed to a lock having a maximum number of different combinations.

Hitherto, in cylinder locks where the key can be inserted from either side of same, it has been necessary to arrange the combination, and the corresponding profile of the key, in such a manner that the engaging portions of the tumblers and the teeth of the key are identical at equal distances from the centre of the key-way, consequently limiting the number of possible, different combinations to one half of the number which could be obtained from the same number of teeth or tumblers in an ordinary cylinder lock in which the key can only be inserted from one side.

The problem of the limitation of the number of combinations obtainable has now been solved by the present invention, which endows the look with the maximum number of combinations, limited only by the length of the key and the cylinder.

To achieve this end the cylinder is provided with two key-ways or passages, parallel with each other and with tumbler elements, which are operable by the same key, from whichever side of the lock it may be inserted.

In order that the tumbler elements shall always and instantly respond to the action of the key, they are individually provided with double wards in such a manner that the wards of one side correspond to the teeth of the key when this is inserted from one side of the lock and the wards of the other side of the said tumbler elements correspond to the teeth of the key when this is inserted from the opposite side of the lock.

Drawings are attached hereto for clear explanation of the present invention and:

Figur l is an elevation of the front of the key-hole plate corresponding to one side of the lock;

Figure 2 is an elevation of the front end of the cylinder adjoining the key-hole plate shown in Figure '1;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section vertically through the lock, showing the tumbler elements schematically, with the key inserted in the keyhole shown in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section vertically through the lock, showing the tumbler elements schematically, with the key inserted in the keyhole shown in Figure 6;

Figure 5 is an elevation of the front-end of the cylinder adjoining the key-hole plate shown in Figure 6;

Figure 6 is an elevation of the front of the keyhole plate on the opposite side of the lock to that shown in Figure 1;

Figure 7 is a set of tumbler elements, showing that each of these elements has two wards, corresponding to the two key-ways, said wards operating with the combination of the same key when this is inserted from either side of the lock;

Fig. 7a is an elevation of the front of the look as it appears on either side of the door;

Figure 8 is a vertical transverse section of the cylinder through the line 8-8 of Figure 9;

Figure 9 is a vertical longitudinal section of the cylinder through the line 99 of Figure 8;

Figure 10 is a horizontal longitudinal section through the lock and door with key inserted;

Figure 11 is a side view of the automatic device for obstructing a key-hole;

Figure 12 is a front view of the automatic device shown in Figure 11;

Figure 13 is a front-view of the device shown in Figure 12 applied to the lock; and

Figure 14 is a horizontal section showing the lock and key-hole plates schematically, with the device for obstructing one key-hole of Figure 11, applied to the face of the cylinder corresponding to the outside of the door.

It is understood that the embodiment shown as an example in the attached drawings is merely one form of this invention, which is not limited to such embodiments, as will be explained hereafter.

The new type of lock comprises a cylinder I, provided with a transmitting arm 2, said cylinder I being held rotatably in the corresponding barrel 3, which is fixed by attaching means 4 to the corresponding wall 5 of the lock-casing 6 imbedded in the hollow mortice 'I cut for this purpose in the solid portion of the door 9.

The remaining portions of the door 8 which enclose the hollow mortice I carry the openings I0 and I0 at the height of the cylinder I and in the said openings there are key-hol plates I I and II mounted to rotate inside their annular holding rings I2 and I2 and the clamping plates I3 and I3 for holding the two key-hole plates II and II rotatably in the said annular rings I2 and I2.

The aforementioned key-hole plates II and I I each have one key-hole only, which is slightly oif centre laterally in respect of the geometrical centre-line of the cylinder I, the opening I5 corresponding to the key-hole plate I I and the opening I6 corresponding to the key-hole plate II are therefore positioned, when viewed from the front, slightly to the left, or to the right hand sid of the centre-line.

These off-centre openings I5 and I6 are in line with the two longitudinal key-way slots I1 and I8 in the cylinder I, which slots are parallel to each other and are offset equally distant transcylinder I.

This latter, furthermore, carries a transversally situated space IS in which the segments of the tumbler elements 2|! are slidably located, these being formed of metal plates greater in length than breadth, the upper extremities 20' of which are still further reduced in breadth, whilst their lower extremities are shaped in a curve and are in functional relation with an opening 2| arranged to that end in the body of the barrel 3.

The tumbler elements 20 have substantially centrally situated openings 22 of sufiicient lateral dimension to allow the key to pass freely, without any side obstructions, whether said key be inserted at the opening I or at the opening 16.

The upper portions of the aforementioned openings 22, however, are shaped topresent the wards 23 and 24 previously mentioned, of which the first 23 corresponds to the set of aligned keyways -47, whilst the second 24 corresponds to the set of aligned key-ways Iii-I8.

, The vertical dimensions of the said wards 23 and 24 are inversely identical for each pair of tumblers at equally spaced distances from the centre of the cylinder and, if there is an uneven number of tumblers, then the centre tumbler in the cylinder has both its Wards of identical dimensions, and the said wards vary according to the combination that enables the key M to raise all the tumblers clear of the opening 2! in which their lower extremities rest under normally, locked conditions and where they effectively prevent the rotation of the cylinder 2 in the barrel 3, thereby lifting said tumblers 28 to the position in which the aforementioned curved extremities coincide with the inner surface of the barrel opening and the circumference of the cylinder l which latter is then free to be turned.

The vertical dimension of the ward 24 is the same as that of ward 23 in the centre tumbler 28 0f the set, enabling the key M to operate the lock when inserted from either side of same.

The tumblers 20 are normally engaged and held in the locked position by means of a plurality of plugs 25 the lower surfaces of which are seated upon the upper edges of the reduced portions 29 of the tumblers 20.

These plugs 25 are held in position of close contact with the aforementioned upper edges of the tumblers 26 by means of springs 26 the opposite extremities of which engage the cavity 28 in the body of the barrel 3, whilst the said plugs 25 are slidingly engaged in a specially shaped open ng 2? in the said body of the barrel 3.

From the foregoing description it is evident.

that the insertion of the key M in either of the openings l5 or it will effect the operative displacement of the tumbler elements as to the position of free rotary movement, thereby allowing the cylinder l to be turned in the barrel 3 and unlocking the look by means of the transmitting arm which moves the tongue-bolt.

It will be evident that, should the key M be inadvertently allowed to remain in the lock, the

latter would remain in the unlocked position and,

could then be turned very easily from the opposite key-hole by means of almost any simple tool.

In order to avoid this danger, the new lock is provided with a protective device, which consists of a spring controlled element 30 fastened opera tively to the corresponding side wall of the look at the points 3| and 32 in such manner as to position the arm 30, of said device, which is elastically movable and limited in its lateral displacement by a stop 33-, in front of oneof the 4 key-holes in the cylinder and adjacent to said hole.

The said movable arm 30, carries a metal obstructing plate 34 conveniently rounded in respect to its vertical edges and having a width slightly less than the distance between the two lateral edges of the two key-ways where these are furthest apart.

On insertion of the key l4 into the key-hole [B of the key-hole plate H, which coincides with the opening l8 of the cylinder 1 the extremity of said key M displaces the metal obstructing plate 34 laterally and moves same to its obstructing position in front of the opening I! of the cylinder I to which access is normally obtainable through the coincident key-hole l5, thereby completely obstructing said opening and entirely preventing the insertion of a key, or any other kind of tool into the cylinder opening corresponding to the key-hole [5.

Upon the withdrawal of the key M from the key-way Hi, the obstructing plate 34 returns to its normally spring held neutral position, thereby allowing the door to be opened by means of the insertion of the key M from either side without any difficulty.

t will be readily understood that this automatic device for obstructing the entry of the key can be fitted on one or on both sides of the cylinder, in accordance with the uses to which it is required to put the look.

It will furthermore be self-evident that the key-ways or slots in the key-ho1e plates and in the cylinder, instead of being offset laterally or horizontally with respect to the virtual axis of the cylinder, can be displaced or oilset vertically with respect to the said axis, in which case the tumblers could be provided with two openings, arranged vertically one above the other, in order to present the requisite ward surface to the same key when inserted from either side of the lock.

While certain preferred embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated herein, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereby, but is susceptible of changes in form and detail within the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new is:

A cylinder lock with two key-ways, allowing the insertion of a key at either side of the said lock and having two sets of correspondingly formed ward surfaces provided upon the operative edges of the tumbler openings; wherein obstruction means are provided for positively preventing the insertion of the key in one side of the said look, so long as a key is in operative position after having been inserted in the opposite side of the said lock, said obstructing means consistin of a substantially rounded edged, spring supported, lozenge-shaped plate, adjacent one face of the cylinder, the lateral operative movement of said plate being caused by the point of the said key and being limited by means of a stud screwed into the said face of the cylinder.

JESUS VALIENTE OROQU'IETA.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 845,019 Voight Feb. 19, 1907 952,643 Roche Mar. 22, 1910 1,560,868 Shinn Nov. 10, 1925 1,860,708

Falk May a 1932 

